Black and White Masquerade
by Karasu Kyra
Summary: Sequel to WDKUWOMUS. USOP Izumo and Kotetsu are sent on a deep undercover, S Rank mission. KoIzu
1. Chapter 1

Black and White Masquerade

By: Karasu Kyra

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

AN: It's finally out folks. I'm so very excited about this and I hope you are too. It's the sequel to What Doesn't Kill Us Will Only Make Us Stronger. Also, it will introduce you to the world of USOP nins. I've made them up and in no way pertain to the world of Naruto. Now, please enjoy the long awaited BWM.

Izumo Kamizuki cried out in his sleep, writhing in the blankets, and waking the slumbering body beside him. Kotetsu Hagane's eyes snapped open when he heard the other in bed with him cry out. He sat up and looked over to his boyfriend, pulling him into his arms and running a soothing hand through his hair.

Izumo's eyes blearily opened, holding traces of fright until he realized where he was. He looked up at Kotetsu's dark eyes and felt relieved, knowing someone was there for him. But not only that, he also _understood_ him, gave him a reason for his blood filled existence.

"Izumo, are you all right? Do you want to talk about it?" Kotetsu asked softly.

"I…Sure." Izumo relented.

He felt bad knowing it was the same nightmare over and over again. Kotetsu had heard it a thousand times, Izumo was sure. The scenes of his torture played out again and again. Sometimes though, it was different. Sometimes, it was Kotetsu, filthy and covered in blood, strapped to that cold metal table. And Izumo was forced to watch as they cut into Kotetsu, crushing his bones, in hopes of making him break. He could feel himself so vividly struggle against the bonds that held him in place, tears streaming down his face.

He was sure, that if they had done that to him, he would have broken. He would have betrayed his country in hopes that they would stop hurting his teammate. He had a sick feeling in his stomach, a fleeting remembrance of what he felt only months ago.

He also had a suspicion, a brief memory that Kotetsu was forced to watch his torture. He couldn't remember quite clearly, so, Izumo left it out of his story.

"Izumo." Kotetsu said, his face pressed to Izumo's hair as he held him tight to his chest. He rocked them both back and forth. He tilted his face down so that his mouth was next to the other man's ear. "Izumo, I love you, and I would never let anyone touch you. You hear me? You're my most precious person and if they ever even _tried_ to do that again, I swear, they would regret having even thought it."

Izumo shivered as Kotetsu's cool breath caressed his ear, coming with it sweet words of reassurance that he so needed. After that the two just sat there, wrapped around each other. Izumo wasn't sure how long they sat there.

Kotetsu jumped when the alarm clock went off, his hand reaching for the kunai under his pillow instinctively. He sighed when Izumo reached over and shut it off. "Why don't you take a shower first. I'm going to make coffee, hmm? It'll help you calm down, and I'll make a cup for you." Kotetsu suggested, not really wanting to face the world quite yet.

Izumo nodded his ascent, crawled out of Kotetsu's arms and dragged himself to the bathroom. He shut the door behind himself, not feeling the need to lock it. He turned the shower on and stripped off his clothes. He stepped under the spray of the water, shivering as it scalded his skin. He took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself.

He watched as the water ran down his body in rivulets, noticing the scars littering his body. He touched a particularly long one, running from just under his ribcage straight down to his hip. He saw another just below his knee. He remembered when the bone had broken through the skin, resulting in that scar. He shivered again.

He sighed and began methodically scrubbing his body, washing himself. He soon stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He glanced to the mirror, glad for the steam because he wasn't ready to look at himself that morning.

He walked out to the bedroom. Kotetsu was on the bed sipping at a cup of coffee. The dark haired chunin offered a mug to him. Izumo took it gratefully, taking a large gulp of it, not caring as it burned his throat.

He set the mug on the night stand, walking to the large dresser. He pulled the towel off his waist, rubbing it through his hair, and then the rest of his body. He pulled on his uniform. He then turned towards the bed again and noticed Kotetsu had already dressed. He grabbed his mug and set himself next to his spiky haired boyfriend.

"Te amo, amore." Izumo whispered a language he'd learned in the southern area of Fire, easily pulling off the dialect.

Kotetsu smiled as he translated. "Te amo, amore. My love, I love you."

"You're not very good at the dialect." Izumo smiled.

"You're right, I'm horrible, but you, love, are perfect." Kotetsu gave a lopsided grin.

"I picked up on it easily, you're amazing at Water dialect. I slip up all the time."

"Ahh, but your Grass dialect is something to be in awe of."

"Mm, perhaps. You realize we could be at this all day?" Izumo chuckled.

Kotetsu laughed loudly. "Yes, beloved, I most certainly do."

"I think we should be going soon." Izumo warned, glancing to the clock.

Kotetsu looked as well. "Me too."

0o0o0

Izumo and Kotetsu were sitting at the mission desk, smiling politely as they handed out the mission scrolls to the early nin. Suddenly without warning, Tsunade entered, calling the two to her office.

They glanced at each other in wonder, following regardless. They smiled at the ANBU guarding the office, politely thanking them as they closed the large doors. The situated themselves across the large, mahogany desk.

"Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane," Tsunade began, addressing them both, "I've just finished reading over your reports, and cross referencing them with information we know. We have now obtained S-rank information regarding troop movements in Sound.

"Taking into account, that you both endured torture without giving any information of Konoha, escaped, and made it home carrying this information, you will be promoted to jonin. I have sponsored you, Kakashi has sponsored you, as well as Kurenai. Also your jutsu, chakra, stamina, and several other stats have been taken into account." Tsunade paused, taking in the reactions of the two former chunin's in front of her.

Kotetsu gave a grin, tilting his head. "Wow, thanks Tsunade-sama."

Izumo stood and bowed deeply. "My utmost gratitude, Tsunade-hime."

"Your inauguration will be tomorrow at the Victory Battlefield, eight o'clock. Don't be late." She grinned. "Good job, brats."

With the tension relieved, the two now-jonin's posture loosened. They stood simultaneously, embracing each other.

"Congratulations, love." Izumo whispered in Kotetsu's ear.

Kotetsu's hand came up to rest on Izumo's head. He grinned pulling away entirely. "You too, beloved."

Tsunade cleared her throat pointedly. "Okay lovebirds. One more thing…After you are inaugurated, as jonin, your first mission will be an undercover intelligence mission.

"I can't release the details in our present conditions but they will be revealed to you at a later time."

The two nin in front of her nodded. "Understood, Tsunade-sama."

"Scatter." She dismissed the two formally.

They left quickly, taking there post at the mission desk as they were.

0o0o0

Later in the evening, Kotetsu and Izumo were sitting at a table with several of their friends. Iruka, Anko, Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma were seated randomly around the large table. They were in a popular bar in congratulations to Izumo and Kotetsu's promotion.

Kurenai spoke amiably with Anko; Kakashi with Asuma, and Iruka with Kotetsu and Izumo.

Iruka smiled warmly at his closest, long time friends, and former three-man cell teammates. "Congratulations, loves'! I'm so happy for you two!"

"Thanks 'Ruka-chan!" Kotetsu grinned, lightly teasing Iruka.

Iruka blushed before Izumo even started speaking. "You know, this sort of reminds me of that time where-"

Iruka hastily cut Izumo off. "Let's not get into that, hmm?"

All three laughed a carefree laugh of friends who'd known each other for years.

It was just after then that a pitcher of beer was put on the table and glasses passed around. They all took a beer and toasted to the two new jonin. An hour or so later found Izumo and Kotetsu drunk as ever. Anko was feeling up anyone within range of her hands, and dear, reserved Iruka was flirting unabashed with Kakashi.

"Kotetsu dance with me!" Izumo whined at his boyfriend, clinging lightly to his arm.

"No, I can't dance!" Kotetsu grinned at the other.

"So?"

"So, no."

"Please?!" Izumo whined louder. Since it seemed he wasn't going to get a positive response from Kotetsu, Izumo turned to Iruka. "Ru-chan! Dance with me?"

Iruka smiled. "Alright."

Iruka got up with a grace unfit of a drunken man. He glided over to the dance floor with Izumo. They danced closely, gliding against each other, telling of years of practice. They beat picked up and so did their movements.

Kotetsu was watching jealously as Iruka danced intimately with his boyfriend. Kakashi was watching with amazement and everyone else paid no mind.

As the song ended Iruka pulled Izumo into a deep kiss, before walking to the table and pulling Kotetsu up. He dragged Kotetsu to his boyfriend and the three of them began dancing together. They were just as close as Iruka and Izumo had been alone, if not closer. They glided together. Sooner or later every eye was on them.

"Let's put on a show for them, hmm?" Kotetsu whispered, slightly breathless, his dark eye's alight with amusement.

Izumo let out a small giggle, brushing stray hair out of his face. "I couldn't agree more. 'Ruka?"

Iruka grinned wildly, undoing his ponytail. "If they want hot…"

Izumo and Kotetsu leaned forward, kissing deeply, as Iruka dropped down low and started coming back up slowly. He slid a hand along the back of each of the two's legs still rising until he reached their butts'.

Iruka rose completely, pulling away to do a quick spin, returning to his friends. The two kissing, pulled apart and pulled Iruka between them. They started grinding, dancing closely. Iruka pulled Kotetsu into a kiss, and then dragged Izumo into it, all three kissing as the song sped up.

0o0o0

After a few songs, Iruka, Kotetsu and Izumo sat back down, panting and covered in sweat.

They found the entire table staring at them, except Anko, who'd seen their act numerous times. Kotetsu spoke first. "What?"

"That was…" Kurenai started.

"Beyond what I thought any of you were capable of. Well, except Kotetsu." Kakashi said.

Kotetsu felt slightly offended. "What's that s'pose to mean?"

"Well, ya just seem the type to party." Asuma answered for him.

"Yeah…" Kurenai added.

Another voice rose loudly through it all. "I don't see why you didn't invite me!" Anko grinned, but the pout was evident in her voice.

"Sorry, Ko-chan, it didn't cross my mind." Iruka grinned innocently.

"Of course not, you guy-crazed, oh-so-dirty man! Of course, Izumo and Kotetsu were too caught up in each other and you, to think of anyone! Maybe I should tell everyone about that one night…" Anko grinned cruelly, but in a playful way.

"No, Anko-chan!" The three friends screamed simultaneously, their eye's widened comically.

"Oh, that one night?" Kakashi prompted, genuinely interested.

"Well…" Anko started, before three bodies tackled her to the ground, the entire group breaking into laughter.

0o0o0

The next morning Izumo and Kotetsu woke with nasty headaches. Izumo, the more responsible of the pair, dragged himself out of bed and into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and a bottle of pain pills.

He pulled a couple out and swallowed them on his way back. He set the glass of water and the bottle on the nightstand for Kotetsu to take one. He grabbed a towel and got into the shower, quickly washing himself.

He got dressed as Kotetsu was in the shower. He pulled out his new jonin uniform, admiring it. He'd gotten it by hard work. He pulled it on with pride, as Kotetsu walked out of the bathroom.

Izumo watched fondly as Kotetsu pulled his uniform on, his smile faltering as he noticed the scars littering the spiky haired man's body.

He walked up to his lover as he pulled on the vest of his uniform. He wrapped his arms around Kotetsu's waist. "I can't believe what it took to get us this far."

"Me either." Kotetsu smiled, burying his face into Izumo's hair.

Just then, the alarm went off, alerting the two it was just a half-hour till their inauguration ceremony. Kotetsu silenced it.

Izumo went to the end of their bed to a trunk. He opened it and pulled out two kodachi. They were medium-length swords engraved with their names and date of entrance as a jonin. It was styled to their liking beyond that, but not gaudily so. Izumo's held Kotetsu's name and the kanji of love and fate. Kotetsu's held Izumo's name and the kanji of eternal love.

Izumo handed Kotetsu his. They strapped each on their back, and walked for the front door. Kotetsu led the way as he leaped onto a roof and set an even pace towards Victory Battlefield.

"So," Izumo started as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop just behind Kotetsu, "What happened last night? I can't remember for the life of me. Except that show with 'Ruka." Izumo giggled lightly. "That was fun."

Kotetsu smirked. "I think we should be getting paid for it. Damn, did you see all the blushing people!"

Izumo laughed. The two fell into companionable silence after that, jumping the rest of the way there. They jumped to the center of the large crowd where Tsunade stood.

"Okay," She turned to the two, "Your ceremony will start in a few moments. It's mostly organized, and you two have been briefed on what to do, so it'll just take a few minutes to quiet the crowd."

She pulled the two to the front of the crowd, slightly higher on a hill. They stood on each side of her, listening as her voice boomed across the opening. "Quiet, everyone. The ceremony will now begin."

With the prompt Izumo got on one knee before Tsunade, pulling his blade from the holster, laying it into his palms, offering it to Tsunade. "This shinobi has earned his place, the rank of jonin. He offers you his sword in hope you will accept it."

Tsunade grabbed the hilt of the blade. She picked it up and then ran it along her palm, blood staining the blade. "By my blood on this blade, I accept your accession to jonin, shinobi." She placed the blade in the hands of the still outstretched arms of Izumo Kamizuki.

When Izumo drew up to full height, Kotetsu dropped to one knee, the ritual words flowing from his mouth, his sword in his palms. "This shinobi has earned his place, the rank of jonin. He offers you his blade in hope you will accept it."

The amber-eyed woman before him, grabbed the blade, running it across her palm again, crossing the already healed wound there. She held the crimson covered sword aloft. "By my blood on this sword, I accept you accession to the rank of jonin, shinobi."

Kotetsu stood next to Izumo, looking to Tsunade. "Welcome to the rank of jonin, Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane."


	2. Chapter 2

Tsunade smiled as she led the two jonin into her office. She seated herself across from the two lovers. "As I had said the day before, you will be going on a mission. It is going to be an S-class, but only because it's going to be a deep undercover mission. You two will be posing as civilian lovers banned from your village for homosexuality.

"You will be going to a refuge in a province of the Village Hidden in the Rock. Your profiles are here," The amber eyed woman motioned the folders on her desk, "Read them over and memorize them. Luckily, you get to keep your names though you have a changed last name.

"Your objective is to spy on the director of this refugee camp. He is a known rebel to Leaf, and must be exterminated. The only thing stopping me is, I have no proof. That is where you two come in.

"Included is a background on the rebel leader, Kabuto Yakushi. I'm sure you've heard his name before. He was once from here. He is ranked an S-class criminal and is to be treated with extreme caution at all times.

"Now, everything else should be included in your reports." Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." The two jonin chorused together, still standing at attention.

"Oh yes, one more thing. Two ANBU will be joining you. An ANBU meeting is in progress at the moment. In a few minutes we will be joining them."

"Understood."

"You are also being joined into a long forgotten unit called USOP; Undercover Special Ops. You will basically be receiving ANBU training doubled with extensive medical training."

"In a week?" Kotetsu asked incredulously. "We were just promoted to jonin!"

"In a week. Though, we'll start with medical training here because you're ANBU partners can teach you the physical and mental training on this mission. Yes, I understand, but you do have the capability to do this. Your former captors widened your chakra pathways unknowingly, beyond what is normal for even a jonin, and after being put back together, strengthened your muscles as if you had been training vigorously for years. You have received some good in your…capture, regarding your lives as shinobi that is. Though, it will be difficult."

"We understand Tsunade-hime." Izumo said grimly.

"You, Izumo, are going to be Hawk." She said, pulling a porcelain mask from her desk drawer. It was styled the same as the ANBU, painted in semblance of a hawk. "You Kotetsu are going to be Hound." She pulled another mask from her drawer.

"I will be tattooing you after you get into your uniforms." She then pulled out two uniforms that looked like ANBU but was entirely black and held decoration strings on the chest armor and boots.

"Now?" Kotetsu asked.

"Yes."

The two stripped and pulled on their new uniforms quickly, shivering as the blonde woman's trained gaze assessed their scars. Tsunade then walked up to them. "Now, your tattoos."

"I'll go first." Kotetsu stepped up.

"Alright. I suggest you brace yourself because this will hurt."

Tsunade focused chakra into her fingertip and began tracing lines onto Kotetsu's shoulder as he gasped in pain. She dragged her finger along Kotetsu's skin, marking it.

"Shit that hurts!" Kotetsu hissed, eyes wrenched shut. His fingers grasped at the desk beside him as if it would lessen his pain.

After working a seal into the tattoo itself and then onto paper, she finished. "Izumo."

Izumo took a deep breath and stepped up to Tsunade. He zoned out instead of listening figuring it was better. Before he realized, it was done. When he came back to himself his shoulder burned.

"Done. Now, let's go."

That was all the warning they got before they were chakra teleported into ANBU headquarters, right in front of all of the ANBU. The ANBU watched warily, not knowing who these masked strangers were.

"ANBU, quiet!" Tsunade's voice boomed. "These are USOP. As you are ANBU, they are the medically skilled version. They are Leaf."

"I'm sure you've heard of the S-rank mission that two of you will be sent on. I need two volunteers of the same sex who are willing to pose as lovers."

Thirteen ANBU stepped up. "Thank you. Now, the rest of you are dismissed."

All the other ANBU shuffled out, leaving the thirteen volunteers. "Alright. Line yourselves up by amount of time served undercover."

The ANBU moved themselves around until they were in the correct positioning asked for. A woman with purple hair was first, then two males, one tall and one shorter by an inch, both with brown hair. Tsunade stood before these two males. "You two will be serving. The rest of you, dismissed."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." All of the ANBU said simultaneously as if practiced.

Once they left Tsunade sighed. "To my office."

This time Izumo and Kotetsu were left to get there on their own terms. They chose the same way as before, coming in shortly after the ANBU.

"Alright, Fox, Tiger, remove your masks. You won't be needing them on this mission." Tsunade commanded, taking a seat behind her desk.

They removed their masks as they were told, clipping them to their belts. The taller one had long, silver hair, and gray eyes. The shorter one had blonde hair to his shoulders and blue eyes.

"This," The large breasted woman waved towards the taller of the two, "is Airen, and this," She waved to the blonde, "is Kyra. Your two will be using those names on this mission."

"Understood."

"Now, here are your profiles. All of you, after you memorize them, write another report containing everything a friend would know about you. Odd eating habits, birthdays, that sort of thing. Exchange them and memorize those. Now, you have your instructions for now. Any questions?"

Various answers of no resounded.

"Then, scatter."

The shinobi in the room left in a cloud of smoke.

0o0o0

Izumo and Kotetsu stood in their apartment, dumbfounded.

"Shit, I can't believe this. Is it really happening?" Kotetsu asked.

"Yeah, it really is."

"Damn!" Kotetsu proceeded to swear viciously before calming down and collapsing on the bed.

Izumo laid beside him. "You know, I already know about USOP. My mother was part of it before it was shut down by the Third. He didn't believe in them. I'm actually immune to a large number of poisons and sedatives because of her."

Kotetsu froze. "I thought our mothers said they worked together?"

Izumo paused a moment. "They did…"

Kotetsu forced a grin. "What do you say we visit my mother, hmm?"

Izumo smiled back, just as forced. "I think that's a good idea."

The two hid the folders in a secret compartment in the bathroom counter and built a quick seal on it. They changed into their jonin uniforms. The two set off for Kotetsu's mothers on foot, walking like any other person.

They arrived ten minutes later. Kotetsu knocked and waited for his mother to answer.

She opened the door with a weary smile. "Kotetsu, Izumo. It's so nice to see you two."

Kotetsu hugged his mother before taking a seat on the couch. Izumo kissed his boyfriends' mother on the cheek and sat beside him.

"So what brings you out here?" Mrs. Hagane asked, seating herself in an armchair across from them.

Kotetsu looked to the floor, then Izumo who nodded encouragingly. "Well, you worked with Izumo's mother, right?"

"Yes, you know that." The brown haired woman chided softly.

"Were you part of a unit called USOP?"

Kotetsu's mother started, her eyes green eyes widening. Her voice was harsh when she spoke. "How do you know that?"

"Izumo's mother told him she was part of it."

"What is so relevant of it at the moment?"

Kotetsu tensed, expecting a bad reaction from his mother. "We've been joined into it as the first members under the Fifth."

Kotetsu looked up, expecting an angry expression, only to see tears running down her face. Kotetsu's eyes widened. "Mom?"

She took a deep shaky breath before looking up. "I'm okay," She paused, taking another breath, "Will you give me a moment?"

At Kotetsu's nod, Mrs. Hagane stood and walked over to a bookshelf and pulled it away, undoing a complicated seal in a matter of moments, and pulling out a scroll. She bit her thumb, and ran the blood down it.

She set the scroll down and walked back to her seat, not bothering to move the bookshelf back. "We'll have a guest soon," She said, "I want you to know that this work is far from easy."

"Yeah, I know."

"Are you sure you know? Did you know that it was that organization that took yours and Izumo's fathers?"

"But, they were KIA…" Kotetsu protested.

"Yes, killed in action against terrorists of the Leaf whom we failed to catch."

Kotetsu paused, taking in the information. He felt Izumo's shaky hand entwine with his own, which had long gone cold. "Is that what you think?"

"Yes."

"It's not your fault. Every mission doesn't always go accordingly." Izumo said softly.

"But it is! If I'd caught him…"

"You can't catch everyone. Some people are just careful enough. It's not your fault."

"Maybe your right…" Mrs. Hagane felt herself sag, giving into the soft-spoken man's words of reassurance.

Everyone sat in a tense, awkward silence for a few moments before Kotetsu's mother spoke again. "You know, I love just like you're my own, Izumo? I raised you just as much as I did Kotetsu, and your mother with Kotetsu."

Izumo smiled. "I know."

A feather light brush of chakra alerted the two jonin to someone entering the room. They tensed and hands went straight to their shuriken holsters.

"Calm down. I said we'd have a guest." Mrs. Hagane said.

A soft woman's voice addressed the three in the room. "Kyn, Izumo, Kotetsu. It's nice to see you all again."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: So, here it is, chapter three! Sorry for the wait!

Black and White Masquerade

By: Karasu Kyra

Izumo blinked in surprise at the sound of his mother's voice.

"Nairi, I was just telling the children how much I love them. Yours as my own, as I'm sure you feel about Kotetsu."

"Of course." Nairi said, smiling. She sauntered into the living room and sat on the arm of the armchair Kyn sat at.

"Mother?" Izumo questioned.

"Izumo, don't look so surprised."

Kyn turned to her friend. "You'll never guess what the two have gotten themselves into now."

"Oh my. What happened?"

"USOP." Kyn replied simply.

Nairi's head snapped towards her son and his lover. She stared a moment before relenting and sighing. "I guess you were destined for it really; the both of you. Both Kyn and I passed our immunities on to you, and I can tell you right now, what Ko isn't immune to, you Zu, are. Also, you may not have realized, but we've been training you for this from birth, subconsciously anyway. Another thing is, you'd both do anything your village asks of you, as would Kyn and I."

"Nairi, you aren't possibly condoling this behavior?" Kyn asked desperately.

"I know you want me to tell them not to, but I doubt we could shake a jonin level nin from his duties."

Kyn sighed, giving up. "You're right."

"I'm sorry." Kotetsu hung his head, ashamed. He felt Izumo's hand tighten around his own.

"Mother, Kyn, you don't know what Kotetsu and I have been through. We know what we're doing and we accepted all the consequences that came with that decision. Which brings me to another thing. We'll be gone for a while. A long while, for years, perhaps."

Nairi's eyes widened marginally, and Kyn went as white as a sheet. Kyn stumbled to the two boys – no, men, she corrected – sitting rigidly on the couch, hands fiercely entwined. "My sons…Before you leave, take these." She walked over to the sealed vault behind the bookshelf again. She pulled out two rings from it, walking back over to the two on the couch.

"These were each of your father's." She placed a silver ring in Izumo's palm and a gold one in Kotetsu's.

"Mom!" and "Mother!" sounded simultaneously as shocked expressions adorned Izumo and Kotetsu's face.

"Don't worry. We're sure." Kyn and Nairi smiled.

"Well, I think we'd best be going. We have much to do." Izumo rambled of being subconsciously polite.

Izumo silently led Kotetsu out under the saddened gazes of their parents.

0o0o0

Back in their apartment the brown haired man and black haired man sat on their shared bed in a state of shock. It was as if what had happened in the past hours just hit them. The weight of what they have just taken on pressing against them.

"Shit." Izumo said. He then proceeded to giggle lightly.

Kotetsu laughed looking to Izumo. Kotetsu started giggling too. That led to the two bursting out laughing. Kotetsu recovered first. "We're in some deep shit, huh?"

"Yup." Izumo agreed.

Kotetsu sat silent a moment, pondering. He suddenly brightened. He jumped up quickly, standing in front of a startled Izumo. He held his hand out, gazing at his lover. "What do you say we go out tonight, hmm?"

Izumo took Kotetsu's hand, stood, and smiled softly. "I'd say that's a great idea. Anywhere particular in mind?"

"Actually, yeah. Get dressed nice."

Izumo looked surprised before complying, pulling his and his black haired boyfriends' suits out. He threw it to him and the two got dressed quickly. Kotetsu led him to a fine restaurant on the edge of town. They were seated swiftly and soon had meals in front of them.

Kotetsu's hands fell to his lap where he toyed with the ring on his finger looking thoughtfully towards Izumo, who, in his opinion looked astonishing, illuminated by the soft lights of the fine restaurant.

"Is something wrong, dearheart?" Izumo asked.

"Umm, no." Kotetsu fell silent dropping his gaze to his food, which he had hardly touched.

"If you say so." Izumo watched warily.

Kotetsu growled suddenly. At himself, Izumo assumed. The spiky haired young man stood and walked over to Izumo's side of the table. He dropped to one knee before the brown haired man.

Izumo gasped in surprise.

"Izumo Kamizuki, I love you with all my soul. I've known you since always and you've always been there for me. We've been to hell and back, far to many times to count. Izumo, my beloved, will you marry me?" Kotetsu held the golden band that was his father's out to Izumo.

Izumo smiled softly. "Only if you'll take me Kotetsu Hagane."

"Of course." Kotetsu smiled, sliding the cold, golden ring onto Izumo's left ring finger, which, surprisingly fit perfectly.

Izumo pulled Kotetsu into a deep kiss. Kotetsu, not paying attention, leaned forwards and rested his arm on the table, spilling a glass of water. Izumo jumped back in surprise. Both broke into a fit of laughter, turning quite a few heads in the quiet restaurant.

That was when the food came, the waiter telling them to be quiet or they would be forced to leave. Kotetsu looked at the small bit of food he had been served, raising an eyebrow and grinning. "Did I mention I've never been here before?"

Izumo smirked back. "Nope, you didn't."

"Ditch?" Kotetsu asked.

Izumo nodded. "Ditch."

Izumo, above stealing, placed a few bills down. Kotetsu knew and expected Izumo would do that, just waited a moment before grabbing Izumo's hand and dashing out of there.

They went back to their apartment and ordered pizza, spending the night on the couch, laughing at cheesy movies, curled together in the dark.

0o0o0

0o0o0

Then next day found the two lovers tangled in the white sheets of their bed, naked. Suddenly, a brush of chakra woke the two. They jumped out of their bed, grabbing at the kunai that were not there.

An ANBU stood before them. He chuckled lightly, uncharacteristic of a high level shinobi. "I'm sorry. I hadn't realized you two were actually lovers."

The ANBU exited the room. The two USOP members uniformed themselves quickly. They walked out to their living room. The ANBU spoke again, removing his mask and clipping it to his belt, smiling. "I'm sorry for the intrusion. I assumed you weren't actually lovers."

"Ah, as Tsunade assumes you and that blonde aren't lovers?" Kotetsu smirked.

The ANBU smiled again. "Much like that."

"So, what brings you here?"

"Well, a couple things. One, I finished memorizing my profile and writing the second report. I brought you a copy. Two, Tsunade has summoned you. As she would normally do it through your tattoos, she hasn't actually activated it yet, hence why she needs you."

"Okay. We've finished ours. Could you give a copy to the blonde?" Izumo asked, taking the offered folder and handing another back.

"I'm sure I could." The ANBU nodded.

"Thanks."

"My pleasure." The ANBU man exited the room.

"That was a rude awakening." Izumo sighed.

"A little bit." Kotetsu agreed with a lopsided smile.

"What do you say we get to Tsunade's?" Izumo sighed again after a moment of silence, resolving himself to work for the rest of the day.

"I guess."

0o0o0

At Tsunade's office the two were sitting across from her. Tsunade was rifling through a few papers on her desk, glancing over information and relaying it to the two USOP members. Finally she voiced what originally brought them to her. "I need to activate your tattoos."

"What does that entail?" Izumo asked.

"Not much. Just a slight bit of seal work."

Tsunade walked to Izumo and focused her chakra to her finger before laying it over the tattoo sliding her finger downwards, slowly building a summoning seal in reverse so that they are the ones summoned.

Once that was finished she split her finger open and built the seal in blood unto the paper. She repeated the process with Kotetsu, but with a different seal.

Once finished, she leaned against the corner of her desk, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sakura Haruno will be your teacher as she has the basics down and we haven't anyone else to spare. That doesn't mean she doesn't know what she's doing though. I'd trust her with my life."

The two nodded.

"She's just outside the door, and already knows the situation. You'll want to keep your masks on though."

They nodded, leaving at the Godaime's dismissal. They walked out and were greeted by the pink-haired kunoichi in question. Izumo nodded. "Haruno-san."

"Hawk-san, Hound-san, it's a pleasure meeting you. Tsunade-sama informed me that you will be needing the basics of Med-training."

Kotetsu, also known as Hound, nodded. "Yes."

"Alright. Come on." Sakura gestured a hand to follow her and began walking out of the building.

The two USOP members followed the pink-haired girl to a small sand-pit outside of the twenty-eighth training ground. She stood just before it, turning to face her two students. "You've both learned to walk on top of water, I hope. Well, this is basically the same thing. I'll let you try on your own at first, and then I'll start giving you hints. Hawk, why don't you go first, and then Hound."

Izumo nodded, not really seeing how this could be difficult. He pushed chakra to his feet just as he would for water and took his first step onto the sand. Half the sand under his foot quickly dispersed itself, flying in several directions. His foot sank into the ground, the sand on the other half of his foot closing around it in the crevice. Only his training saved him from an abrupt fall that would have only wounded his pride. Instead he fell to one knee, still a blow to his pride, but much less worse than it could have been.

Izumo shook his head mentally, before stepping behind the quietly snickering Kotetsu and glaring at him. At Sakura's command he stepped forward into the sand, only to sink down as he would have if he had normally walked across it. He frowned.

"Okay, do you have any ideas as to what you might be doing wrong, either of you?"

"Well, Hawk put to much chakra into his step-" Kotetsu said, talking of Izumo before getting cut off by said man.

"And Hound put to little." Izumo said.

"Well, you're both half correct. Try focusing on every little grain of sand." Sakura suggested.

Izumo stepped up again. He stepped forward, trying to focus on every grain of sand, but not being able to his chakra and the push of the sand, this time, _did_ make him lose his balance completely, falling on his bottom in the sand. He scowled at the outright laughing Kotetsu, Sakura breaking into a knowing smile.

"Not so easy is it?" The kunoichi asked, almost smug as she herself walked out, the sand flattening itself under her feet perfectly. "This is called good chakra control. You two are pretty average for a jonin when it comes to chakra control, but for a med-nin you'll have to have even better."

The two nodded, ready to go out and try it again.

0o0o0o0

A few hours later and Kotetsu had himself a good seven feet across the thirty foot wide circle of sand. Sakura had gone back to the Hokage, leaving the two to there training. He scowled at his boyfriends' back. Izumo was a few feet ahead of him before he took a wrong step.

Izumo turned his masked gaze on Kotetsu and the spiky-haired jonin knew the exact mocking look that Izumo was giving him. Kotetsu raised an eyebrow. "Challenge, hmm?"

Izumo chuckled. "You know me well, lover."

The two lined up on the same side of the circle. They set off at the same time at Izumo's mark, since both knew Kotetsu cheated and took off before he said start. They were both moving as fast as they could without messing up, which was an average walking pace.

When Izumo messed up first, he went back to the edge of the circle, starting over. It was just like when their sensei first taught them to climb trees. The first to the opposite end wins.

Then Kotetsu messed up and Izumo had the lead. It went on for hours, Izumo getting the farthest by the time they decided to take a break, getting just before half way.

The two leaned against opposite tree, their masks off as they knew no one was around. Izumo snorted suddenly. "This is hard."

"Really, how'd you figure that one out?" Kotetsu asked sarcastically.

"Smartass." Izumo replied good-naturedly.

"Know it all." Kotetsu replied in the same tone.

"Shit for brains."

"Bookworm."

"Cock sucker."

Kotetsu laughed at that, grinning. "Guilty as charged, flirt."

"Tease."

"Nympho."

Izumo laughed. "Dog face."

"Cat lover."

"_Your_ lover."

"My _fiancé_." Kotetsu corrected with a smirk.

The two broke completely into laughter. They gasped as they fought to catch their breath. A few minutes later, Izumo shook his head, standing and offering a hand to Kotetsu. "We should probably get back to it."

Kotetsu agreed. "I'm always ready to kick your ass."

"Kick my ass? Funny, that's not what you were doing with it last night." Izumo and Kotetsu replaced their masks, returning to the edge of the sand-pit.

0o0o0o0


End file.
